LSU hosting 4-star WR Jelani Watkins for official visit
2024 Houston (Tex.) Klein Forest wide receiver Jelani Watkins is at LSU for an official visit this weekend. The Tigers are the heavy On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine leader for Watkins.
Watkins was on campus in April and the Tigers are firmly in the mix for his recruitment. Recruiting specialist Sherman Wilson is leading the charge.
“That man is blowing me up every day,” Watkins said of Wilson.
Last time on campus, head coach Brian Kelly met with Watkins. The coach of the Tigers let him know he was a key piece in their plans for the 2024 class.
“He told me they want me there and how I’d fit in their offense pretty well,” Watkins said this spring. “A lot of the stuff they do is similar to what I do already here. It’s just transitioning to that.”
As Watkins works toward a decision, he knows what he’s looking for in a college. Programs like Texas A&M, Michigan, Oregon, Miami, Colorado and others have offered him.
“I gotta have somebody I can rely on and I gotta be able to get along with the players and click with them so I can feel the brotherhood, how they do things and see if I can fit in,” he said. “If I can’t fit in then I know they ain’t for me. The education plays a big part into it, too. I gotta be able to be well-educated and know stuff.”
According to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies, Watkins is the No. 190 overall prospect in the country, No. 31 wide receiver in the nation and No. 36 prospect in Texas.
Last year, Watkins notched one of the top 100-meter times in the country with a wind-aided 10.21. This year, he clocked a 10.68 already. He’s one of the fastest playmakers in the country.
